BEDFORD – 4-H Youth Development Extension Educator Lesley Lodmell provided the Commissioners Tuesday morning with the Purdue Extension Lawrence County Quarterly Report July – September 2023.
Purdue Extension Lawrence County provided a total of 7,215 minutes of education to youth and adults within the community. More than 72 educational programs were offered. A total of 2,116 in-person and virtual education participants took part in programing and more than 16,121 social media posts were made.
Some of the highlights of the report included:
The Junior Jacks 5K
The project was derived in the spring of 2022 by the Mitchel Junior High Health Class. The student-led and inspired event was funded by the Lawrence County Community Foundation. Eighty-four people participated and collected 167 food items which were donated to the Mitchell Junior High Food Closet.
Growing Together Grant
Collaboration works best when all partners mesh well for a common purpose. The Purdue Nutrition Education Program, Purdue Extension Lawrence County, Lawrence County Master Gardners, and Lawrence County Soil & Water Conservation Department cohesively presented on behalf of the Growing Together Grant.
Education Program Advisor J.J. Goldsberry had the opportunity to teach Eat Smart, Move More to women living at Becky’s Place.
By the end of September, the Master Gardeners grew, harvested, and donated more than 1151 pounds of produce and herbs to Becky’s Place.
Those staying at the shelter learned how to cook and preserve the food items. The ladies also learned to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into meals, meal planning on a budget, easy family snack ideas, and nutrition label reading.
They hope to secure a grant to continue the project next year.
Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls
Health and Human Sciences Education Grace Thompson partnered with Johnson Christian Village to provide an eight-week program to increase activity levels and reduce fears of falling in older adults. A Matter of Balance features topics such as assertiveness, fall hazards in the home, cognitive restructuring, and active planning through small group discussions and activities.
Participants also took part in 30 minutes of exercise each week to improve balance and strength.
An IU Health therapist also attended one session to show participants how to get up safely after a fall and why it is important to communicate you had fallen with healthcare providers.
Exploring Dorne Technology for Agricultural Use
According to the USDA Ag Census, the average age of today’s farmers is more than 60 years old. Lawrence County’s 800-plus farmers are mostly owned by farmers in this age group, making education to assist in keeping them current on production agriculture topics vital to sustainability.
In July, 18 participants attended a program organized by Purdue Extension Lawrence County, Lawrence County SWCD, and Natural Resources Conservation Service featuring drone technology at Feldun-Purdue Ag Center. Program topics included applying chemicals with drone technology, seeding cover crops with drones, and commercial drone application information.
Drones were also on hand to demonstrate uses and attendees were able to operate the drones.
Junior Leaders Explore
Research shows that teens benefit from positive opportunities to interact with others through overnight 4-H experiences. Twelve Lawrence County Junior Leaders along with three chaperones and an educator visited Cincinnati, Ohio July 24-25. The teens created proposals and voted on their desired locations. From there they selected their lodging, transportation, and meal plans.
The teens learned about the history, architecture, and pop culture released to the city by participating in a food tour. Each tried something they had never tasted before and some rode public transportation for the first time. The final day was spent at Kings Island.
2023 Lawrence County Fair
This year there were 517 active 4-H members who participated in the fair. That is a 10/5 percent increase in enrollment from the previous year. There were a total of 2,349 entries exhibited at the fair. There were 32 events hosted by the Lawrence County Purdue Extension or 4-H volunteers during the fair. 140 approved 4-H volunteers helped during the fair. That is an increase of 8 percent from the previous year.
